multi-sheet pros and cons... please advise

[dbyrne]

What are the pros and cons of multi-sheet? We do large assemblies of around 20-30 sub assemblies and around 1000 parts total. There are probably 100 details that need drawings. Is this a good idea to do multi sheet? What is the magical number and size of files to make this a cutoff point?

thank you all.

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

Pro's;
Only one file to manage.
Makes bulk printing easier.
Makes creating other drawing formats easier. (pdf, dwg, dxf, eDrawing)

Con's;
Revision control.
File size.


"What is the magical number and size of files to make this a cutoff point?"
No magical number or size ... depends on your computer specs.


Helpful SW websites FAQ559-520
How to get answers to your SW questions FAQ559-1091

 

[ctopher]

One part, one dwg, one rev. Add mult shts as needed.
One assy, one dwg, one rev. Add mult shts as needed.

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks 06 4.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 06-21-06)

 

[fcsuper]

CorBlimeyLimey make a good quick list of pro's and con's. My 2 cents from my experience on this is that the pro's list are all minor items that have other solutions for similar results AND the con's list are both major issues.

 

[swforge]

In my experieces with multi sheet drawings, the larger file size and handling time outweigh the single file, etc. positives. I cant imagine a multi sheet drawing with the number of subs you have being manageable. Im not that patient. I can usually stomach drawings with 5 to 6 sheets. This, of course, depends on the number of sections, broken out views and details thereof included. These are killers. Good luck.

 

[wes616]

I think it is very dependent of what industry you are in, to choose how you layout your drawings. In the aerospace industry, multipage drawings are the "norm." The biggest drawing I've had was a 23 page system installation, where heat exchangers were going all over the aircraft. It wasn't fun (a bear of an assembly), but those are the requirements.

In some cases it's easier to do 1 part - 1 drawing, if that 23 pg drawing had been done this way, I imagine there would be something like 100+ pages of individual parts and sub-assemblies to detail. That doesn't sound too fun either.

What are the fabricators in your industry used to seeing?

Wes C.
------------------------------
Light travels faster than sound. That's why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.

 

[tes1]

Just a thought on multi-sheet drawings and using the SWX revision table. You will not be able to assign different revision levels to different sheets in the same drawing project. SWX rev table references Sht#1. If you have a Rev D on sheet#23 all you can put on sheet#23 is the revsion "symbol" a cicle with a "d" inside of it. If you want to know "what" the revision is you have to find sheet#1. This will drive some toolmakers crazy.
I think SWX should allow a option for separate rev tables in multi-sheet drawings. That way each sheet could have its own rev level.

Mike

 

[ctopher]

Revs are for a document, not shown on individual shts. That would be confusing for most that follow standards.
There should be a block one the first sht indicating each shts revision. But the whole document has a rev within the dwg rev block.
If a toolmaker or whomever is making the part, he/she should have the whole document, not just the one sheet.

Chris
Systems Analyst, I.S.
SolidWorks 06 4.1/PDMWorks 06
AutoCAD 06
ctopher's home (updated 06-21-06)

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

tes1 ... you can and (for some while) have been able to assign different revs to different sheets.

SW07 has added revision table functions. (due to popular demand)

There are new options for revision tables when you have multiple sheets in a drawing. You can set them at Tools, Options, Document Properties, Tables, under [/b]Multiple Sheet Style[/b]:

See Sheet 1 ... The revision table on the first sheet is the active table. On all other drawing sheets, the revision table is labelled "See Sheet 1". This functionality is the same as previous releases.

Linked ... A copy of the revision table from sheet 1 is created on all sheets, and all revision tables update as one. For example, if you add a revision on one sheet, the revision tables on all other sheets include the revision.

Independent ... The revision table on each sheet is independent of any other revision table in the drawing. Updates to a revision table are not reflected in tables on other sheets.

Helpful SW websites FAQ559-520
How to get answers to your SW questions FAQ559-1091

 

[CorBlimeyLimey]

See also Rev Table In The Sheet Format thread559-159715 for more opinions.


Helpful SW websites FAQ559-520
How to get answers to your SW questions FAQ559-1091